Roller skate



Nov. 23 ,1926. 1,608,368

0. T. BUGG ROLLER SKATE Filed March 16. 1926 my 1 Fly 2 v MJNESSES 1NVEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y.

Patented Nov. 23, 926.

OWEN THOMAS BUGG, or BEACON, NEW YoRK.

ROLLER SKATE.

Application filed March 16,1926. Serial No. 95,137.

This invention in its br ader aspects is concerned with the provision ofa unique mechanism for preventing the retrograde rolling movement of awheeled carriage while permitting free forward rolling movement thereof.

iflore specifically the invention involves the use of a traction wheelaxle supporting a carriage and mounted forfree lateral bodily shiftingmovement in its hearings in the carriage. The axle is normally held inone extreme position by the thrust or drag of the carriage propellingmeans, and when the direction of such drag or thrust is reversed, theaxle shifts bodily relative to the carriage to move tl e traction wheelagainst a brake. This brake is preferably in the form of'a block ofmaterial mounted on the carriage and fric "ionally engageable with thetraction wheel to prevent retrograde rolling thereof. v

The invention finds one of its preferred embodii'nents in a rollerskate, an object of the invention being to provide a skate embodying themechanical principle above outlined, and so constructed that it will bepeculiarly suitable and safe for the use of children learning to skate.

.A further object of the invention is to provide a skate so constructedthat the likelihood of a child losing his or her balance while standingon the skates is minimized, and a skate which may be propelled by adirect forward walking movement as opposed to the usual forward andlateral thrust commonly employed in skating. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a skate of simple,practical construction, which will be rugged and efficient in use, andone which will lend itself to comparative economical manufacture.

The invention may be more fully understood from the followingdescription in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein-- Fig.1 is a view in side elevation of a roller skate embodying the invention,showing the skate strapped to a shoe.

Fig. 2 is a view in rear elevation of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to 2 and illustrating a modification.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional detail through one traction wheel axleand associated braking mechanism showing the relative positions of theaxle, traction wheel and brake when there is a forward thrust on theskate; V

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Figp l, but showing the wheel moved againstthe brake under the influence of a rearward thrust on the skate.

' It will be understood that while I have elected to show the inventionembodied in a roller skate, it may have a wide range of utility in thearts, and that the drawings are not to be interpreted in a limitingsense.

' The skate of the present invention is preferably formed from a singlemetallic stamping including a foot plate 10, a heel plate 11 anddepending stirrups or guide brackets .12, 13 for the reception ofsecuring straps 14: and 15. i

It will be noted that the heel plate 11 is mounted somewhat forwardlyof. the rear end of the foot plate 10. opposite sides of the rear end ofthe plate are bearing brackets 16 formed with aligned slots 17 thereinadapted to serve as bearings for a transverse axle 18 mounting one ormore rear traction wheels 19. In Fig. 2 I have illustrated the use of asingle traction wheel or roller, and in Fig. 3, the use of two wheels onthe rear axle. Near the forward end of the plate 10 there are providedadditional depending bearing brackets 20 formed with aligned slots 21therein which serve as bearings for the front axle 22 carrying one ormore traction wheels or rollers 23.

The wearer dons the skate by abutting the heel H of his shoe S againstthe heel plate 11, and securing the foot encircling straps 14 and 15 bybuckles or other equivalent securing devices (not shown). It will benoted that the bearing slots 17 and 21 extend longitudinally or fore andaft of the skate; thus permitting bodily forward or rearward shiftingmovement of the axles 22 and 18 in their hearing brackets as a forwardor rearward thrust is imparted to the carriage or plate 10. Dependingfrom the plate 10 are suitable brakes 2 1 and 25 in the nature of blocksof material formed with arcuate recesses 26, 27 therein adapted tofrictionally contact with the front and rear rollers of the skaterespectively when the front and rear axles shift toward the forward endsof their bearing slots. It is desirable that the rollers and brakes bemade of some material which will insure a strong Depending fromfrictional engagement as the rollers are moved against the brakes. Ifind that relativelyhard rubber may be conveniently used in theformation of the brakeblocks 2a, 25,

and if desired, the rollers 19 and 23 may be made of the same material.

Operation of the device is substantially as follows, and may be bestseen from Figs. f and 5. W hen a forward thrust is imparted to the plate10, axle 22 will seek the rear of its bearing slots 21, and the roller23 will be out of engagementwith the brakeQ't. Thus forward rollingmovement of a skater is free: and unrestricted. Any attempted retrogrademovement however, will cause traction wheel 23 to. instantly lockagainst its brake 2% as seen in Fig. 5. Here, a rearward thrust on the,plate 101 has caused shifting movement of the, axle 22 in its bearingslot 21, bringing the roller 23 intofrictional engagement with the.brake and locking the roller against movement. It will be noted that Ihave shown a, brake associated with each roller or wheel. tion wheels asshown in Fig. 3,. four brakes will be used, so that I may obtain afourwheel braking effect to prevent any tendency of the skate to skid ortwist when the rollers engage the brake.

The construction which involvesmounting the rear rollers or wheels 19well behind the heel plate 11 minimizes the danger of a beginner fallingover backwards on the skates, iIlEtSlIiUCl'l as the center of gravity isshifted. to a point well intermediate thefront and rear traction wheels.

The construction which I have just-described renders the skaterelatively easy to use, since skating maybe accomplished byia directforward walking action asopposed to the usual forward and lateral lungecommonly employedr This feature not only renders the skatepeculiarlysuitable for the use of beginners, but renders it well suitedfor hiking purposes, since skating may be accomplished by a simplewalking action.

Various changes and alterations might be made in the general form andarrangement of parts described without departing from the invention.HenceI do not wish to limit myself to the detailsset forth, but Sllitlllconsider myself at libertyto make such changes and alterations as fairlyfall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I. claim:

1 A- carriage supported upon traction. wheels, traction wheel axlesmounted for lat-.

eral. bodily shifting movement in bearings in. the carriage and normallyheld in one extreme position by the thrust or drag of the carriagepropelling, meansgandf means for locking the traction wheels againstmove- In the case. of the use of four tracment as the axle is bodilyshifted relatively to the carriage under the impetus of a reverse thrustor drag on the carriage.

. 2. A carriage supported upon traction wheels, traction wheel axlesmounted for lateral bodily shifting movement in bearings in the carriageand normally held in one extreme position by the thrust or drag of thecarriage propelling means, and means for locking. the traction wheelsagainst move ment as the axle is bodily shifted relatively to thecarriage under the impetus of a reverse thrust or drag onthe carriage,said means including brakes mounted on the carriage engageable with thesurfaces ofthe traction wheels.

3. A device of the class described in claim 1, and wherein the bearingbrackets on the carriage are slotted. to receive the axles and providefor bodily movement thereof.

. a. A. carriage mounted on. traction wheels, freely movable on itswheels in one direction and automatically locked against movement on.its wheels in the other direction.

5. A carriage mounted on tract-ion wheels and carrying. friction brakesautomatically engaged with the wheelsas the carriage is moved on thetraction wheels in one direction.

6. A roller skate including rollers freely rolling, in: one directionand locked against rolling movement in the opposite direction,shiftable. axles carrying the rollers, and brakes engageable with therollers as the axles are shifted in one direction.

7. A roller skate including a foot plate attachable to the shoe of awearer, a heel plate on the foot plate engageable with the heel of ashoe, front and rear traction rollers, the rear rollers being disposedrearwardly of the heel plate.

8. A roller skate including a foot plate, pairs of cars dependingtherefrom having. aligned slots therein extending-longitudinah ly oftheicarriage axles borne in the slots, traction rollers on the axles,and: means for braking the rollers as. the axles shift forwardly. intheir bearing slots.

9. A. roller skate including. a foot plate, pairs of ears dependingtherefrom having; aligned slots therein extending longitudinally of thecarriage, axles borne in. the slots,

traction rollers on the axles, and means for braking; the rollers vasthe axles shift forwardly in their bearing slots, said meansincludingbrakes depending. from the foot plate and engageable with the tractionrollers.

1.0. A device of the class described in claim 9, and wherein bothrollers and brakes are formed of rubber.

ownnfrnoims Buss.

